Self-assembly of minimal peptoid sequences

Castelletto, V., Seitsonen, J., Tewari, K. M., Hasan, A., Edkins, R. M., Ruokolainen, J., Pandey, L. M., Hamley, I. W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4549-0926 and Lau, K. H. A. (2020) Self-assembly of minimal peptoid sequences. ACS Macro Letters, 9 (4). pp. 494-499. ISSN 2161-1653 doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b01010

Abstract/Summary

Peptoids are biofunctional N-substituted glycine peptidomimics. Their self-assembly is of fundamental interest because they demonstrate alternatives to conventional peptide structures based on backbone chirality and beta-sheet hydrogen bonding. The search for self-assembling, water-soluble “minimal” sequences, be they peptide or peptidomimic, is a further challenge. Such sequences are highly desired for their compatibility with biomacromolecules and convenient synthesis for broader application. We report the self-assembly of a set of trimeric, water-soluble α-peptoids that exhibit a relatively low critical aggregation concentration (CAC ∼ 0.3 wt %). Cryo-EM and angle-resolved DLS show different sequence-dependent morphologies, namely uniform ca. 6 nm wide nanofibers, sheets, and clusters of globular assemblies. Absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopies indicate unique phenyl environments for π-interactions in the highly ordered nanofibers. Assembly of our peptoids takes place when the sequences are fully ionized, representing a departure from superficially similar amyloid-type hydrogen-bonded peptide nanostructures and expanding the horizons of assembly for sequence-specific bio- and biomimetic macromolecules.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/90471
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF) Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Chemistry
Publisher	American Chemical Society
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